My Friend Draco
by OpheliaLovegood
Summary: Against his better judgement, Draco Malfoy is returning to Hogwarts to re-take his seventh year. He's looking for a second chance and some distance from his broken family but nobody is willing to give it to him. Nobody except the one person who, by all rights, should hate him more than anyone.


A/N: This may or may not end up in the final draft of the post book 7 fic I'm writing (40 000 words and counting! Woooo!) but I feel like it might be a stand alone story.

I had written it a while back with the intention of putting it closer to the beginning of the long fic but then things happened and now it's actually in the middle and also maybe doesn't fit with the rest of what I've written now. 'sigh'

Posting it as 'complete' for the moment with the potential for more. Would love to hear feedback and/or ideas if you have any!

Disclaimer: I, of course, do not own Harry Potter or anything in the universe which Ms. Rowling created. I just paint in between the lines.

Cheers!

Ophelia Lovegood

**My Friend Draco**

Draco Malfoy was feeling trapped. The movement of the Hogwarts express made his stomach roil and he'd already thrown up in the bathroom twice. The compartment was empty thank god. If he had to share it with some other nosy prat he thought he'd very well throw himself out the window.

There weren't many upper year Slytherins coming back this year. Many of them were Death Eater's kids who were not welcome or were too busy dealing with their family drama. Draco had his own of course but he was pointedly NOT dealing with it.

Draco felt the train start to slow down and he knew they must be nearing Hogsmeade station. The thought of so many people clustered at the platform made him run for the bathroom again.

A half hour later he found himself looking into the sightless eyes of a thestral. He'd seen them for the first time last year but they were no less daunting for that. Yet another reminder of everything that transpired in the last few years. The sound of several gasps reached his ears but he didn't look round. A lot of people were probably seeing them for the first time.

The thestral before him pawed the ground and he skirted around it and into the carriage without looking into the faces of those already inside.

"You've got some nerve Malfoy."

He looked up to see Hannah Abbott glaring across at him. Two other Hufflepuff boys were looking at him too with cold expressions.

"Just trying to get to school," he muttered, "Not looking for trouble."

"I don't care what you want," she said, "Your buddies murdered my mother. I'm not sharing a carriage with you."

"Hannah I-,"

"Get out!" one of the boys said. Together all three shoved him hard and Draco Malfoy found himself on his hands and knees in the mud. He could hear snickering from the onlookers. He got up and looked around but there were no kind eyes looking back at him. He found closed doors at every carriage. Even the few other Slytherins wouldn't take him. Too worried about what an olive branch like that would say about them.

He watched bitterly as the thestrals began towing their burdens towards the castle without him.

A shrill whistle sounded at the station behind him. At that moment taking the train right back to London seemed like a damn good idea. He had a feeling this little incident was just a taste of what the year would look like.

But what was waiting for him? A manor house empty of people, save for his broken father, but completely filled with nightmares. A cottage on the edge of the property where his mother stared into a dead fireplace all day, jumping at the slightest noise.

Draco sighed and started walking the path towards the castle.

"Hello," said a dreamy voice. He jumped and found Luna Lovegood beside him.

Her owl eyes reflected the night sky and she was smiling, not directly at him but in his general direction. His heart was racing and he didn't know what to say to her. This girl who had been held captive in his basement for months. He was often woken up at night by the memory of her screams as they tortured her.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"What?"

"You fell quite a long way and I wondered if you were okay."

"Yeah I'm fine. Thanks," he said, confused.  
"You're welcome. They shouldn't have pushed you."

"I guess they just didn't want me there."

"It wasn't very nice."

He couldn't believe he was having this conversation with Luna Lovegood. She who, by all rights, should be the first in line to hate him. Top ten anyway. Yet here she was talking to him like they had all those months ago with that unaccountably good natured tone.

"Why are you being so nice to me Luna?"

"Because being nice is much more pleasant than being nasty and I'm much better it anyway. I'm going to walk to the castle now. Are you coming too?"

Draco took one last glance back at the train then nodded. "Yeah I guess I am."

They walked along the path a short way but he couldn't hold back his thoughts for long. "I'm so sorry Luna. For what they did to you. For everything." They'd stopped walking and he couldn't meet her eye. His blond hair, which had grown quite long over the summer, fell over his eyes.

"You didn't lock me in the basement Draco."

"I didn't let you out either."

"True but you also didn't have much of a choice. And I haven't forgotten our chatting."

In the weeks he'd come home for vacation Draco took to talking with her through the cell door. Mostly the conversations were absurdly mundane given the situation. They'd talked about classes they both took and teachers they both had. She told him stories about the trips she took with her father to faraway places where they researched obscure magical creatures. He talked about Quidditch and how unfair it was that Snape had banned it at the beginning of the year. Despite water dripping from the roof and the unending dampness that always filled the underground cells, she was enthusiastic and interested in what he had to say.

Occasionally the conversation turned more serious. He told her how scared he was all the time. He hated living at the manor with the Dark Lord in residence but was terrified he'd never see his family again every time he boarded the Hogwarts express.

She told him how much she missed her father and hoped he was eating. She said that at every break she would stock the pantry with nuts, dried fruit and salted meat which she made herself. Enough to last for months at a time because, without her home, he often forgot to cook. Sometimes she even sent owls home laden with care packages of elf-made food when she figured he'd be needing something more substantial.

All the while they both steadily skirted around the fact that she was a prisoner. He didn't offer to help her and Olivander escape and she didn't ask. Although, at the time, their conversations felt like a lifeline he knew he'd essentially done nothing to help her besides sneaking down a few table scraps when he could.

"What I did doesn't amount to much."

"It meant a lot to me and to Mr. Olivander too I think even if he preferred not speak." She reached up and brushed his hair aside. "We all make mistakes but you're here now and I think that means you want to move on just as much as the rest of us."

He looked her full in the face for the first time. There was an angry white scar on her temple. He didn't want to think about where it had come from. "I'm not sure anyone wants me up at the castle."

"There will be at least one person once I get there so we better hurry. I hope there's pudding."

As they walked, Luna continued to talk about everything and nothing. She was very good at filling up empty spaces with words. She told him that she'd found out they were cousins of a sort. They shared the same great grandfather. "That explains why we have the same hair," she said, indicating her white blond locks. It made him smile to think he had family like her. Family that was good.

When they finally reached the castle there were two people standing nervously at the door, Professor Flitwick and Neville Longbottom.

Neville ran forward and hugged her tightly when they came round a bend and into view, "Luna where were you? We got separated on the platform and and I couldn't find you."

"Hello Neville. We missed the carriages. Are we too late for dinner?"

"You most certainly are Miss Lovegood," said Professor Flitwick, "And if I'm not very much mistaken you are quite capable of producing a patronus. You should have sent word ahead." Both he and Neville eyed Draco darkly who felt ready to sink into the earth.

"I'm sorry to have worried you all but I was perfectly safe with my friend Draco." That earned a very shocked expression from both of them.

"You- missed dinner but they're just tucking into dessert," Neville said, "Then the Headmistress is going to make a speech."

"Oh good." She passed them in her dreamy way and headed for the Great Hall. Flitwick hurried after her.

The two boys were left alone together. "She may trust you Malfoy but I sure as hell don't. I don't know why you bothered coming back here."

Luna had bolstered Draco's courage a bit. He stood up straight again, a little of his old bravado coming back to him. "I'm here for the same reason you are Longbottom. Our education last year was rubbish no matter how you slice it. I got the same letter as you saying we could retake the year and that's what I intend to do."

Neville glared at him. This war had changed him substantially. He was no longer the meek boy who Draco and his gang picked on. He was every bit the conquering hero as Harry Potter himself. Hundreds saw him cut off the head of Voldermort's snake and with the sword of Gryffindor no less. "Don't think you're not being watched Malfoy. Your last name can't protect you anymore."

He motioned for Draco to walk ahead of him. Apparently, he'd also learned not to turn your back on an enemy.

Draco's stomach lurched again as they entered through the massive doors of the Great Hall. People stared openly. The words 'Death Eater' were whispered so many times it sounded like the long hiss of a snake. The memory of Nagini slithering through the halls of Malfoy Manor made him shudder.

He made his way to the sparse Slytherin table and sat down at the end as far from any of the others as he could get. The treacle tart which appeared before him seemed about as appetizing as mud.

Although he steadfastly ignored everyone in the room their voices made a wall of sound which pounded at his temples like a sledgehammer. It was a relief when Professor McGonagall stood up from her chair at the centre of the long staff table and cleared her throat.

"To all those who were sorted this year, Welcome to Hogwarts! And to all returning students, Welcome Back! It is a great pleasure to see you all enjoying this delightful feast and one that, at times, I didn't expect to see again. I'm glad I was wrong.

"We have all suffered these past years. The war touched each of us in one way or another. There are faces missing from this room which will never be seen again and that is a very great tragedy indeed. I know that it may be difficult to be away from your family in this time of rebuilding and as such I and the Board of Governors have added several extra week long holidays during the year when you are more than welcome to visit your homes or simply take a break from the pressures of class."

There was a murmur of appreciation from the crowd at this news. Draco wondered how many people in the room planned, like him, to stay well away from 'home' for as long as possible.

"Furthermore, you have all chosen to continue your magical education for different reasons and those reasons are your own. Know that no person has been allowed back that could be considered a danger to those around them. If, during the course of this year, anyone reveals themselves to be such a person they will be dealt with both by me and the appropriate authorities. I intend to make Hogwarts a safe place again for all those inside her borders."

Draco felt eyes boring into his back and her words felt directed toward him specifically.

"Academically last year was, undoubtedly, sub-par. All teachers have amended their curriculums to make up for this lapse in your education. All returning 7th year students will first have a private meeting with their head of house to decide where the largest gaps lay and which courses will serve you best for your chosen future. I hope that future, whatever you decide, will be bright.

"Speaking of Heads of House. For many years I have served this school as the Professor of Transfiguration, Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress. This has been the honour of my life and, although I am quite proud to have been named as your new Headmistress, I step out of those settled roles with a heavy heart. I also feel the substantial responsibility of finding suitable replacements for these posts.

"First I would like to announce that Professor Flitwick will be the new Deputy Headmaster."

There was a cheer from the Ravenclaw table as the tiny Flitwick stood on his chair and bowed low.

"Professor Slughorn has agreed to again forstall his retirement and serve as Head of Slytherin House and Potions Master for another year."

The applause from the Slytherin table was less racaus but Slughorn stood and bowed as well.

"I will be passing my role as Gryffindor Head of House onto Madam Hooch. I know she will do it credit."

Gryffindor house _whooped_ predictably. Draco suppressed an eye roll. There was no way she'd be an unbiased Quidditch referee now. Slytherin was doomed even if they _could_ pull together a decent team.

"It has also been decided that Defence Against the Dark Arts will not be offered as a single class this year. Instead, each teacher will be instructing you on how to understand the dark arts through the lens of their particular subject. This is a trial program and I look forward to receiving your feedback. The time has come for the Wizarding world to rethink how we understand the dark arts. I believe that begins with rethinking your education.

"Finally, I am very pleased to announce that our new Professor of Transfiguration, who was named Head Boy during his years at Hogwarts and who now comes to us from an illustrious position with Gringotts bank, is Mr. William, Bill, Weasley."

The Great Hall erupted. Cheers and shouts came from all corners and every single Gryffindor student was on their feet. Ginny Weasley was actually standing on the bench and whistling shrilly.

At the staff table a man in royal blue robes was standing and smiling broadly. He had long red hair tied back in a ponytail and his face was handsome but badly scarred. Draco knew this must be the eldest Weasley brother who had been attacked by Fenrir Greyback the night he let Death Eaters into Hogwarts.

Draco clapped along with everyone else even though he worried what it would be like to learn under Bill. Would this be yet another person entirely ready to string him up for his mistakes?

"Congratulations to all our teachers in their new appointments," McGonagall said when people finally settled down, "I see that the hour grows late and I do not wish to keep you further. I will only add, at the behest of our caretaker Mr. Filch, that the Forbidden Forest is still quite forbidden and any students who enter unsupervised will meet with immediate detention and likely gruesome injury. Goodnight all and pleasant dreams."

The Gryffindor prefects had a difficult job corralling their charges. Most made their way to the base of the staff table where Bill had come down to chat with the students. Ginny stood beside him like a preening peacock.

And it was not a wonder. Even those who did not know him now knew his last name. The Weasleys, whether for their association with Harry Potter or for their own contributions to the war effort were now highly considered. Bill, who had already made a good name for himself at Gringotts, would be a well loved addition to the school.

In the chaos Draco was able to slip out quietly. Seven years at Hogwarts had given him a lot of time to find alternate routes to the Slytherin dormitories. He chose the fastest one and made it back before anyone else. He didn't linger in the common room either.

His four-poster bed with emerald coverings waited as it always did, tidy and comforting. He slipped into his pajamas quickly then got into bed, pulling the curtains all the way round and sighing in relief. Blissfully beyond prying eyes at last.

He heard the other 7th years come in after a while but didn't bother to open the curtains. The only person he really knew was Blaise Zabini, the lone other Slytherin boy from his class to return to Hogwarts. The others were all from the class below whom he'd never bothered getting to know.

For the first time in hours, hidden amongst the bedclothes, he felt safe. It was impossible to know what tomorrow would bring, but as he drifted off to sleep, three of Luna's words made him smile.

_My. Friend. Draco._


End file.
